Su Ci felt as if her brain were being sawed back and forth by a blunt, rusty blade.
The pain made her suck in a sharp breath.
A buzzing rang in her ears. All she could hear was a woman’s shrill, calculating voice—noisy and irritating, like the chaotic crush of commuters during the morning subway rush hour.
“Su Ci! You’re already a grown girl. Why are you still so thoughtless? There’s only one city work quota left in this family. Your little sister has been weak since childhood—she’s never suffered before. If you send her to the Northwest to drink the wind and eat sand, aren’t you basically sending her to her death?”
“Besides, I’m doing this for your own good. The Lu family next door—do you know what kind of family they are? Lu Si might have lost the use of his legs and has a bit of a strange temper, but his rank speaks for itself. He was injured while serving the country. If you marry him, you’ll live the life of an officer’s wife! So many people would beg for that chance!”
Su Ci suddenly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was a mottled wall painted halfway with green paint. On it hung a yellowing portrait of a great leader.
The air smelled of old wood and mildew, mixed with the overly sweet scent of cheap face cream.
She looked down.
She was wearing a faded blue work jacket, washed so many times that the color had nearly disappeared. On her wrists were two fresh red marks—evidence left behind when the body’s original owner resisted the forced marriage.
A flood of unfamiliar memories poured into her mind.
Good news: after working endless 996 overtime and dying suddenly, she had transmigrated into a book.
Bad news: it was a military marriage novel set in the 1970s—and she had become the greedy, troublesome cannon-fodder female side character who eventually died miserably in a cowshed.
The fashionable woman with permed curls and high cheekbones standing before her was the original owner’s stepmother, Liu Guilan.
And hiding behind Liu Guilan, wearing a floral polyester blouse and looking shifty, was the stepsister Su Yan—the one who should have been sent to the countryside but wanted to steal her sister’s marriage instead.
The current plot point was this:
Lu Si, once a promising “king of soldiers,” had been injured and left paralyzed in both legs. His personality had drastically changed.
The Su family had originally arranged a marriage with the Lu family. But Liu Guilan couldn’t bear to let her own daughter, Su Yan, marry a cripple and suffer. At the same time, she wanted to keep the Lu family’s betrothal gifts.
So she planned to push the original Su Ci out as a substitute.
In the original novel, Su Ci caused a huge scene and refused to marry the “dead cripple.”
As a result, Liu Guilan immediately signed her up to be sent to one of the harshest farms in the far Northwest.
Less than three years later, during a blizzard, Su Ci was caught stealing public grain and froze to death from hunger and cold.
Meanwhile, Su Yan took her job quota, stayed in the city, married a good man, and lived a smooth and happy life.
“Su Ci, say something! Did you go mute?” Liu Guilan’s voice rose nervously. “The Northwest may be tough, but it’s glorious! You’re the older sister—you should have some awareness!”
Su Ci came back to her senses and slowly raised her hands to look at this body.
Her fingers were slender. Her skin was smooth like a freshly peeled egg.
These were not the hands of someone meant for hard labor.
And definitely not hands meant for digging the earth in the Northwest.
In her previous life, she had been a corporate slave her entire life, working herself to death for a pitiful salary.
In this life, she had only one life goal:
To slack off.
Whatever was comfortable was what she’d choose. No one was going to make her work herself to death again.
In her mind, she quickly laid out the options.
Option A: Go to the Northwest.
Terrible environment. Temperatures of negative thirty degrees. Digging dirt every day while dealing with scheming fellow educated youths.
Ending: Miserable death.
Rating: Negative infinity.
Option B: Marry Lu Si.
Lu Si’s conditions: a single courtyard house in the Beijing military compound (a house), over one hundred yuan in monthly allowance (money), special meat and grain ration tickets (food).
Most important point:
Lu Si’s legs were broken = he couldn’t get out of bed = she wouldn’t need to fulfill marital duties = and he definitely couldn’t chase her around to beat her.
On top of that, it was said that Lu Si had become mentally unstable due to his disability—moody and unpredictable.
Which meant he would be the perfect excuse.
She could simply claim she needed to take care of her disabled husband and avoid working entirely.
Money. Free time. Meat to eat. A husband who couldn’t take care of himself.
How was this jumping into a fire pit?
This was basically the ultimate government-approved retirement life!
Wasn’t this exactly the dream of “high pay, little work, close to home”?
Su Ci’s eyes suddenly lit up. The lifeless almond eyes now sparkled with excitement, as if countless stacks of cash were waving at her.
“I’m not going to the Northwest,” Su Ci said.
Her voice was hoarse from just waking up, but her tone was firm.
Liu Guilan’s face changed. Just as she was about to explode—
“You little brat—”
“I’ll marry him,” Su Ci interrupted.
A righteous expression appeared on her face, almost sacred, with a hint of tragic heroism.
“Mom, you’re right. Commander Lu is a hero. He was injured protecting the country. We can’t forget our roots, and we certainly can’t look down on a hero! The engagement was mine in the first place. I should fulfill it—for honor, for the organization!”
The room fell silent for three seconds.
Liu Guilan and Su Yan stared at her like they’d seen a ghost.
Wasn’t she threatening to starve herself and hang herself just yesterday? How did her personality suddenly flip?
“You… you’ve figured it out?” Liu Guilan looked at her suspiciously. “Let me warn you—Lu Si has a terrible temper now. I heard he’s already driven away three nurses and won’t even see his own father. If you get bullied, don’t come crying back.”
“Don’t worry, Mom.” Su Ci got off the bed and straightened her wrinkled clothes, a barely noticeable smile curling at her lips. “For my sister’s sake, and for the Su family’s reputation, what’s a little suffering? As long as Commander Lu’s allowance—ah, I mean heart—is still there, I can endure it.”
She sneered inwardly.
Seriously—what’s scarier? Being scolded a few times by the so-called “Living King of Hell,” or shoveling manure in the Northwest?
Even a dog could answer that question.
“Since that’s settled, let’s hurry and get the introduction letter!” Liu Guilan feared she might change her mind and wanted to throw this hot potato away as fast as possible.
“Sure,” Su Ci nodded obediently.
But her gaze drifted toward the polyester blouse Su Yan was wearing.
“Mom, once I go there, I’ll be representing the Su family’s reputation. Look at my clothes—they’re practically falling apart. If people in the compound laugh at me, won’t that embarrass you and Dad? My sister’s blouse looks nice… so maybe…”
Su Yan immediately clutched her collar and screamed, “I just bought this!”
“Oh? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to go to the countryside? Your sister is taking on such a huge hardship for you, and you can’t even part with a piece of clothing?” Su Ci smiled faintly.
Liu Guilan gritted her teeth and yanked Su Yan forward.
“Give it to her! As long as she’s willing to marry, not just clothes—even the shoes can go to her!”
Ten minutes later, Su Ci stood in front of a mirror wearing Su Yan’s beloved polyester blouse, feeling quite pleased as she examined herself.
The 1970s…
Su Ci had arrived.